Retail

Department, Discount Stores Top Christmas Shopping Spots

Likelihood to shop online up this year, reaching highest point to date

November 12, 2007

Department and discount stores are the two main places at which Americans say they are likely to shop for Christmas gifts this year. Nearly half say they are likely to shop online for presents -- marking the highest percentage to say this at any time over the past decade.More ...

Investor Optimism Remains Low in October

Worries about investment portfolios, value of dollar may affect spending

October 22, 2007

The UBS/Gallup Index of Investor Optimism poll shows investors to be less optimistic about their investment portfolios, more sanguine about the outlook for the economy, and somewhat unenthusiastic about their holiday spending.More ...

Annual Update: Americans Rate Business and Industry Sectors

Oil and gas industry and federal government have worst images

September 6, 2007

Americans rate the restaurant and computer industries the most positive of 25 sectors surveyed, while they are most negative about the oil and gas industry, the federal government, and the healthcare sector. Americans have rated most business and industry sectors more negatively over time, particularly since 2003, and the public has lost more faith in the federal government over the last four years than any other industry sector tested.More ...

Consumers' Optimism Continues to Build

This, despite weaker-than-expected December retail sales and increasing gas prices

January 16, 2006

New Gallup Poll economic data show that consumers are increasingly optimistic about current economic conditions. Does this mean December's weaker-than-expected retail sales numbers will be reversed in the months ahead? The answer may depend on gas price volatility and the impact it has on lower- and middle-income Americans' spending in early 2006.More ...

What's in Store for Specialty Retailers?

Service differences not that obvious to consumers

December 6, 2005

A mid-September Gallup Poll Panel survey asked respondents about their retail shopping habits and preferences -- the types of stores they made purchases at, what they bought, and how much money they spent. Their responses paralleled some of the Thanksgiving weekend purchasing behaviors, as more panelists said they had made purchases at general merchandise retailers, discount stores, and department stores than at specialty apparel retailers.More ...

Clothes Shopping: In-Store a Better Fit Than Online

Only 9% prefer to buy apparel online

August 23, 2005

In this busy period for apparel sales, why do Americans continue to mob shopping malls when they could be perusing and purchasing from their personal computers? During the last decade, e-commerce has emerged as an alternative to crowded fitting rooms and packed store parking lots. But many people aren't sold on the idea of shopping for clothes online.More ...

Restaurants Highest-Rated Industry; Oil and Gas Lowest

Views of education, accounting, and farming and agriculture up this year

August 22, 2005

Gallup's annual update on the images of various business and industry sectors in the country finds that Americans view the restaurant industry, the computer industry, agriculture, and the grocery industry most favorably. The oil and gas industry, typically the most negatively rated, saw its ratings decline even further this year as the prices of oil and gasoline reached new heights. Views of education, accounting, and agriculture are all up this year, while ratings of the oil and gas industry, the federal government, and the sports industry have declined and are now the lowest Gallup has measured for them.More ...

Back-to-School Will Test the Economy's Strength

Consumer confidence declines even as economists tout second quarter results

August 2, 2005

Euphoria about the strong second quarter results for the U.S. economy has many on Wall Street expecting a similar or even stronger economic performance during the remainder of the year. They seem to believe that neither increasing gas prices nor higher interest rates can slow consumer spending and the current economic momentum. Gallup's consumer confidence data suggest just the opposite -- much of the economic data reported just last week may already be out-of-date.More ...

Parental Advisory Labels Don't Stick With Teens

Three percent said warnings make them more likely to buy

August 2, 2005

Since 1985, record companies and artists have voluntarily adhered parental advisory labels to albums with lyrics they determine to be too violent or too sexy for young listeners. The labels are designed to offer parents some guidance when deciding whether albums are appropriate for their children, but do teens pay attention?More ...

Substantial, Average Investors' Views Diverge

Optimism surges among those with more investable assets, but drops among the rest

June 28, 2005

Overall investor optimism remained relatively unchanged in June, according to the latest UBS/Gallup Index of Investor Optimism Poll. However, underneath this seeming stability lies a significant divergence in views between substantial investors, whose optimism nearly doubled from last month, and average investors, whose optimism tumbled to a two-year low.More ...